I hate the cynical aloofness of the political commentary Re: Bush/Katrina

[expatriot]

I've been seeing it a lot the past couple of days, how the media acts as if Bush can undo the damage he has done by improving his 'perceptions' among the American people. They act as if there is nothing that he will have to account for, no questions he will have to answer. Perhaps they are just so jaded because they know he will not have to face justice or inquiries but I think it is the media's job to stand up for the truth and demand accountability. For all the obviously gross sins that Bush has committed in his lack of response to Katrina, the media should be calling for his head but instead they go on in their cynical Washington way, speaking of Bush's ability to escape negative perceptions as Rove's ability to redirect the American people as if they were a flock of sheep. Disgusting.

For Bush, next moves are key to rest of term His success in undoing the negative perceptions of the past few days could be critical to sustaining the political capital necessary to achieve other objectives of his second term -- from avoiding further erosion of support for his Iraq policies to domestic initiatives yet to come.

[ananda]

1. perception?

Sheesh. Fuck the media.

Sue

[Ravenseye]

2. Seriously...Fuck Them

The only way he can change his perception is through them. If they just repeat the white house talking points, and show pictures of Bush looking 'presiduhntial' without commment....of course he's going to change it...by USING THEM LIKE THEY HAVE FOR THE PAST SIX YEARS!

I swear to god if the media in this country lets him get away with this, they're just as guilty as Bush for the murder of all those people in New Orleans.

Far more people have died since the hurricane which could have been prevented, than in the hurricane itself. The number could reach higher than 10,000.

If the media wants to share in that guilt, feel free.

[Dudley_DUright]

3. Here is the NYTimes nauseating article on this topic

White House Enacts a Plan to Ease Political Damage

Under the command of President Bush's two senior political advisers, the White House rolled out a plan this weekend to contain the political damage from the administration's response to Hurricane Katrina.

It orchestrated visits by cabinet members to the region, leading up to an extraordinary return visit by Mr. Bush planned for Monday, directed administration officials not to respond to attacks from Democrats on the relief efforts, and sought to move the blame for the slow response to Louisiana state officials, according to Republicans familiar with the White House plan.

The effort is being directed by Mr. Bush's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and his communications director, Dan Bartlett. It began late last week after Congressional Republicans called White House officials to register alarm about what they saw as a feeble response by Mr. Bush to the hurricane, according to Republican Congressional aides.

As a result, Americans watching television coverage of the disaster this weekend began to see, amid the destruction and suffering, some of the most prominent members of the administration - Richard B. Myers, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Donald H. Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense; and Condoleezza Rice, the secretary of state - touring storm-damaged communities.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/national/nationalspecial/05bush.html?pagewanted=print

Here is an idea! Limit the political damage by actually doing something for the American people, like maybe saving some lives during the worst natural disaster in American history. These people make me puke. :puke:

[kevsand]

4. It is the media that is pointing out the callous cynicism of

the Bush admin's attempt to spin the disaster. They're not participating in it, they're calling him out on it.